Winter Tale
by Amaya-Ithilwen
Summary: It's the english version of my Oneshot (Wintermärchen - /s/8745615/1/Winterm%C3%A4rchen). Some years ago, it was snowing outside when I was writing this story. Please don't kill me for typing errors. My default language is german, not english... I only own Amy, my OC. The rest doesn't belong to me...


„It's snowing!", Horo was running around in the House En like an idiot. He was also grinning like one.

I looked out of the window. It really was snowing…

The next instant I could see Horohoro romping through the snow, excited like a little child at christmas. Typically Horo. Originally he grew up in the northern part of Japan, like me. If you're living in the north, the snow gets to you like a friend, with which you can do almost everything.

About a week ago, he received a letter from his sister, who returned home. She wrote, that they already have about 1.5 meter snow up in the north and that an end of the snowfall wasn't seen. After reading this letter, he was a bit depressed, because here, near Tokyo, no snow was seen so far. He also had no chance to go ride his board on fresh fallen snow. Of course he could ask Kororo, but that's not the same like naturally fallen snow. All our attempts to brighten him up were for nothing.

After this letter, the Ainu with the blue and black hair sat on the veranda of the house, staring in the heaven. And this every free minute Anna granted him.

I smiled. Now that it is snowing, the excitement about this happening seemed tob e even bigger.

Around midnight, as Horo and all the others were sleeping; it slowly began snowing and didn't stop until now.

I watched the snow falling for quite a long time. But after midnight I decided to go to bed also. Meantime it snowed about ten or fifteen centimeters – as I could see out of my room.

I rested my head on the palm of my left Hand and observed the Ainu, who was still in the garden.

Thinking of him made me smile. Indeed he's truly crazy, but in a positive meaning. I've never seen someone being so excited about little things like the first snow. It seems like every snowflake was like a gift for him. It's a childish but infecting happiness, which he shows.

The longer I thought about the boy of the north, the more I had to admit, that long time ago he turned out to be more form e than a friend.

Thinking of him in that way, a happy smile crept over my face. That moron got me.

Thinking back, we went through quite a lot of things while the tournament. After the death of Hao, all of us came back to the house En. All of us, except Joco. He stayed in America and tried his best to become a Stand-up-comedian. I wish for him, that his dream comes true. He's working so hard for it.

Pilica returned home right after the tournament, because she turns 14 and at this age, her mother introduced her in new traditions. You learn the traditions of the Village step by step, year by year. After turning 18, you're a full-fledged member of the clan. I also went through some introduction. But after the death of my parents, I had no teacher.

Ren, Horo and I decided to stay two weeks longer to spend some time with our friends, before each of us will definitively return home.

We spent the first days with sleeping. The tournament was much more exhausting than we thought. So it was only logical, that we all went to bed right after arriving at home.

Since our return, one and a half week passed by and the normal daily business returned in the House En. Ren, Horo and Ryu were arguing all the time; Anna made a new, murderous training schedule for Yoh and Tamara was working for her apprenticeship.

Daily business…

I sighed. In three days, Horo, Ren and I would take off to our homes. What a pity! For me it means, returning home in the northern Japan, returning in a cold, empty house. It's so isolated, that even the closest village, funny thing it's the one of the Usuis, lies about 30 minutes of marching away. Sadly I thought about the future, coming towards me. I think that I won't see the others until the tournament gets picked up again.

Suddendly, the door slammed open and Horo was standing in it. I got so frightened because of the noise that I almost fell of the window board, where I was sitting on all the time. Normally I heard it long time before when someone was coming toward my room, but apparently I was so deep in thoughts, that I didn't even hear the noise from Horo approaching my room. As I turned around, I could see the face of an absolute happy Ainu and heard him say: "Come outside already! You can't sit inside all day long, starring out of the window and make a depressed face!"

His cheeks and his nose were red from the cold outside. On his blue spiky hair the last snowflakes were melting. Grinning like an idiot, he grabbed my arm and tried to pull me outside.

"Wait! Wait!" I shouted totally took off guard and tried to get free from his grip. He just looked at me with a baffled look on his face. "I think it's better to put on some warm clothes before leaving." I explained with an embarrassed look on my face.

Actually, there's no need of warm clothing. Because of Koreus blood in my vains, I never froze. Dragonblood was hot and keeps my body warm, no matter how the temperature was outside. To be honest, I just wanted to delay it. But delay what? I had no idea. Since when do I act so stupid?

Horo waited at the entrance until I got dressed. I took more time than needed and thought feverishly on what he set his mind now.

I know the Ainu long enough now to know, that he has something in his mind. But I have absolutely no idea what. A Snowball fight? Building a snowman? After tossing and turning the ideas in my head. I had absolutely no idea.

I sighed frustrated. I think I will only find it out, if I go with him, even if I risk a snowball fight or something else. I quick put my coat on and went to Horo to put my boots on.

After putting them on, I let him drag me to wherever he wants, without complaining. Meantime it still snowed. Now there surely were about 20 centimeters lying on the fields.

I watched the snow slowly falling on the ground, immediately, after contacting the earth, getting a part of the whole snow cover. Like a puzzle. One part fitting into another and in the end, you can see the whole picture. The last time I've observed the snow this intensively, was about seven years ago. Observing the snow, I came to the conclusion, that I missed a great natural spectacle. I made a note in my head to go more out into the nature in the future, if only for observations. I grew up in the wild northern nature and was also educated to a nature related person. I think I forgot that some time ago.

Suddendly, Horo stopped. Deep in thoughts, I did not remark, that he stopped. I didn't even know where we were and how long we walked together through the nature.

I took a quick look around to orientate myself. We were on a small clearance in the forest. Some snowflakes were dancing through the air, heading to the earth. Around us, there were snow covered trees standing, forming an almost perfect circle.

Beneath mine and Horos footprints, the snow was pure and untouched. Not even animals were here since it began snowing. Like at the north…

The only colors, which the nature showed to us, were white, grey, green, brown and a shade of blue. There were also the colors of our clothing which made a perfect contrast to the natural colors.

It was beautiful here. A place where I could stay forever, just admire the nature. But why are we here? Not just only because it was such a beautiful place to be. Confused, I turned to Horo asking: "Horo what…"

I was cut off by Horo gently placing a finger on my lips. I squinted at his index finger on my lips and then to its owner. My confusion grew and I think that I also looked that way.

"Just listen!" his voice just a low whisper. I did as told and listened. All that I heard was our breathing, which ascended into heaven in little clouds. I also heard the low trickle of the snowflakes, when they fall on the trees, the ground, our clothes or our hair.

I think that my opposite wanted to point at this silence. There was no sound of an animal or of something else. Just us and the falling snow around us.

"This silence and the surrounding is just beautiful…", Horo loosened his gaze from my face and looked around, a happy expression on his face. After regarding at the surroundings long enough, he turned his head back towards me and continued. His voice was a low whisper: "… just like you!"

Before I had even time to react, he replaced the index finger with his lips.

The touch of his lips was so gently and smooth, like cool winter air was brushing against my lips. Although he was acting I a real straight way, his kiss was incredibly gentle.

My head was empty and I could not focus on one clear thought. In my stomach a firework of different emotions exploded and my heart seemed to burst just because of the happiness, which I was feeling right now.

After a short time of hesitating, I closed my eyes and kissed him back. It seemed to me like an eternity, in which we were just standing on the clearing kissed. Mentally I pleaded that this wonderful moment would never end. But as everything, this moment also ended and I was a bit upset over this fact.

But I was it only a moment, because Horo pulled me in a tight hug and I was pressed against his muscular chest. His hug was tight but not akward. It was just like he wants me to hold, that I can't fall or run away. As I closed my eyes, I heard Horos heart beating and feel his breath right on my ear.

I could feel that Horos warmth was warming something inside me up, which was frozen for years. Weird, although I have dragon blood in my veins, there's still something in me that was cold? I listened to my heart and smiled. No, this part can't be warmed only by dragon blood. This part could only be warmed by the love of another person. A Part I closed away from the others after my parents died.

I let myself fall into the hug and enjoyed the feeling to be loved by a person. To be loved just as I was, without complaining, without ifs and buts.

"I love you." Horo whispered these words into my ear and pulled me deeper into the hug. I could feel my heart beating fast against my chest. I didn't need to listen close to Horos chest. I knew his heart was surely racing as fast as mine.

My heart was beating loud. So loud, that I was sure, that he could hear it in the silence. Even without such excellent ears as mines.

I felt that the last ice inside me was about to melt and I was sure, that in future, I will show another part of me.

I smiled and layed my arms around his neck.

"I love you too!"


End file.
